New Book and Study Serves as Guide to the Most Spiritual Gospel

January 11, 2016
News

This Lent, pastor and bestselling author Adam Hamilton invites readers to experience a season of spiritual growth and life-changing renewal while exploring the major themes of John in his new book and Bible study John: The Gospel of Light and Life (Abingdon Press).

None of the Gospels are, strictly speaking, biographies of Jesus. But John’s Gospel, more than any of the others, is something of spiritual or theological commentary on Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. In John, details of events and the words of Jesus are heavily focused on the meaning and spiritual significance of Jesus’ life which lends to it being thought of as the most spiritual Gospel.

As John explores the questions of the identity and meaning of Jesus, Hamilton invites readers to do the same. His book, John: The Gospel of Light and Life, is meant to be read alongside the Gospel and is structured to help people explore its major themes. With that in mind, the entire text of John has been included within the book’s pages. At the end of each chapter is a portion of the Gospel, and if read in its entirety readers will have completed the entire Gospel of John by the end of the book.

“As people read John, I encourage them to approach the text actively, thrusting themselves into its pages and pondering how its words speak to the meaning of Jesus for their life,” notes Hamilton. “To help them do that, I encourage them to answer three questions with each passage that they read:

• What is said in this passage about Jesus?

• In this passage, how does Jesus bring life to me?

• What response do these verses require of me?”

The book offers pointers and keys to reading John by serving as a guide to John’s major themes. It explores their meaning and offers clues. The six chapter presentation makes John: The Gospel of Light and Life ideal for both individual and small group study. For those that want to dig deeper and join in group discussions about John, companion Bible study components consisting of a DVD study, leader guide, youth and children’s studies, and a 40 day devotion are also available.

Hamilton shares that “in John 20:31 we read, ‘These things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name.’ (CEB) My hope is that this little volume will help readers and groups to believe and find life in Christ’s name.”